Speed
by Hunter1544
Summary: Clark meets a future ally and Chloe learns an important secret or two
1. Default Chapter

Subject: Smallville, Clark-Chloe…sort of  
  
Disclaimer: Nope I don't own them no offense or copy-right legal stuff intended  
  
Time-Line/Spoilers: During/Post Obscura…kind of a re-arrangement/rewrite of some events and what happened after. And Just for Clarification I am messing with the timetable for Tempest and pretty much washing out most of the plotline for it..  
  
Rating: PG-13 I guess…mostly for language, and maybe the action sequences.  
  
Note from ME to the READER: Reviews are appreciated and may help me decide which direction to go with this thing While this is a C/C get together type of thing and I am a SERIOUSLY Rabid fan of that relationship There IS a plot going outside that. Kinda follows the episode's "Freak of the Weak" idea……with a twist. SO bear with me in the beginning while I introduce a new Character  
  
  
  
Prologue:  
  
............Spring Formal………..  
  
Clark Kent stood irresolute in the doorway. The winds were howling fiercely, and the teenager could see the trees in the distance bent almost completely double. There was debris on the wind as well. Leaves and tree limbs and cornhusks whipped along the road as Clark smelled the signs of a storm. Watching the winds howl as they blew a new friend into the distance. He couldn't believe he was still standing here and just watching while a friend could be in danger. He took a step outside just as a hand touched his arm.  
  
"Clark?" said Chloe.  
  
  
  
  
  
Part 1 – People and Powers  
  
  
  
…….Several Weeks Earlier……  
  
…….A Monday Morning before School……..  
  
"Can I help you?" ask Chloe Sullivan as she raised her head to see who was knocking at the Torch's door.  
  
"Probably," said the short brown-haired student standing in the doorway.  
  
"Well?" she repeated as she watched him peer around the office from the door like he had never seen the place before. And now that Chloe thought about it she didn't recognize him at all.  
  
"I am looking for the Torch's office?" said the boy with just a hint of uncertainty. He was about Chloe's height with blue eyes and short- cropped hair. His jeans and T-shirt displayed a wiry frame spoke of little food or lots of exercise.  
  
"Was that a question?" asked Chloe with a hint of humor in her tone. "You have found the office of the one and only Smallville Torch. And if you are that uncertain you must be new here." She smiled as she stood and walked toward him.  
  
"Ummm yeah you could probably say that," replied the student with a kind of sheepish grin. "The name is Stephen, Stephen Conrad." He said as he took his first step into the office.  
  
"Nice to meet you…Steve?" said Chloe as she reached out her hand.  
  
"Steve is good," he shrugged with a grin as they shook. "You must be Chloe Sullivan?"  
  
"Chloe Sullivan Editor in chief," she replied. "My reputation has again preceded me I guess. What can I do for you?"  
  
"Well I just moved in this past week and I was wondering if you need any more hands on the paper?" He gestured inquiringly to the empty office. "I guess I MIGHT have a shot."  
  
"Only until the guys get here," said Chloe. " I am in early today but I certainly don't run this place by myself… Well not ALL the time." She amended with a grin.  
  
"So you are all staffed up?" Steve asked sounding disappointed.  
  
"Hardly," laughed Chloe. "I guess it depends on what you have to offer? Ever worked on a paper before?"  
  
"Sort-of"  
  
"Sort-of?" echoed Chloe. Not exactly a ringing self endorsement she thought.  
  
"Well we had shortage of computer literate people at my last school so I was more maintenance than actual News reporting I guess. Our paper was top heavy with seniors so I didn't get to do much before I moved." said Steve with a shrug.  
  
"Ahhh well we are Freshman based thing here so you should fit right in. You can never have too many people who know more about computers than simply turning them on. Can you Clark?" she asked as looked over his shoulder as her tall friend came in the room. Chloe smiled as Clark walked around Stephen and put his arm over her shoulder. Ever since he had finally asked to the Spring Formal last week Clark had been making small gestures like that. It still took her by surprise and he still looked halfway nervous. "Clark this is Stephen Conrad he's new to Smallville and wants to join up."  
  
"Clark Kent," said Clark as he reached out with his free hand to shake Stephen's. "Welcome to Smallville."  
  
"Kent from the Kent Farm?" asked Steve as Clark released his hand and the three teens sat down.  
  
"You know my folks?" asked Clark in surprise.  
  
"Well not personally but I passed the farm on the way to my Godmother's and it just clicked in my head." Steve replied.  
  
"Ahh he's observant I like that," said Chloe with a grin. "Clark here sometimes has to run into walls before he sees them."  
  
"Ha-ha thanks," smirked Cark as he swung at Chloe and she scooted easily out of his reach on her rolling chair. "So you must be moving in with Mrs. Weldman?"  
  
"That's right," nodded Steve with an internal grin and a slight moment of personal pain at the couple's horseplay. "Apparently she and my folks go way back but I have only seen her a few times since she moved here."  
  
"Where are your fol…" said Chloe  
  
RRRIIIIIININNNNGGGG  
  
"Time for the day to start I guess," said Steve as he stood rapidly.  
  
"Looks like," agreed Clark with a slight frown. "Where you headed?"  
  
"Uhhhh History," replied Steve once he realized Clark was speaking to him. "Mr. Johnson."  
  
"It's on my way u want a guide?  
  
"Yeah since I can probably get lost in my own closet," he said with a smirk.  
  
"See you in Math Chloe?" asked Clark.  
  
"Unless I decide not to show up," remarked Chloe with a grin and she sat back down at her computer to get working on the Torch, which was her first period Study Hall. "Nice to meet you Steve."  
  
"Ditto," said Steve as the two boys left for class.  
  
  
  
......After School the Torch Office……  
  
TAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAP  
  
"Done!" said Chloe, pushing enter one last time to save her current article to the Torches latest edition.  
  
"Finally," exclaimed Pete. "I was ready to leave ten minutes ago."  
  
"In a hurry Pete?" asked Clark as he smiled from his seat across from Chloe. Pete flashed him a million dollar grin.  
  
"Just don't want all the women to have a chance to get taken before we get to the Talon."  
  
Clark was shaking his head and smiling when heard a knock at the doorway "Hey Steve."  
  
"Yo" said Smallville's most recent addition.  
  
"Pete this is Steve Conrad," introduced Clark as the two boys shook hands. "he just moved to Smallville from…." Clark trailed off.  
  
"Gotham," supplied Steve.  
  
"Gotham," echoed Clark. "And he came by this morning to see if there were any openings on the Torch."  
  
"Which I still don't have an answer to yet," laughed Steve. "I am more or less resigned to admiring this paper from afar."  
  
"I am sure we can find something," said Clark before Chloe could speak.  
  
"So who made u editor MR Kent?" asked Chloe as she grinned and tossed an eraser in Clark's general direction. "But we can always use another set of eyes when we go hunting for clues so Clark is probably right."  
  
"Thanks," said Steve with a nervous smile. "Well I guess I will see you guys tomorrow."  
  
"Uh uh," disagreed Chloe. "You can't be a formal member of this place without learning where we hang out. Right Clark?" she said looking at Clark as he nodded.  
  
"Yeah," said Pete "Come and join us."  
  
"Guess I am outvoted," Steve said with a grin.  
  
"So what is Gotham like?" asked Pete as the foursome moved toward the door.  
  
…..The Road Home…..  
  
"Last stop," Chloe said as she Clark and Steve reached the driveway to the Kent farm.  
  
"Yeah," said Steve. "I really appreciate the welcome guys."  
  
"Don't mention it," said Chloe. "Making friends in a new place can be tough."  
  
"You want to come back and meet my folks?" asked Clark. My Mom knows Mrs. Weldman pretty well."  
  
"Umm I'd better get home," apologized Steve as he shoved his hands rapidly into his pockets. "Thanks though." He added as Clark nodded and turned to Chloe.  
  
"What about you Ms. Sullivan?" asked Clark, his voice becoming shyer. "Want come in and maybe stay for dinner?"  
  
"You sure your parents won't mind? asked Chloe with a bright and slightly silly smile.  
  
"Nope," explained Clark with an earnest smile. "I told them I'd ask today."  
  
"Then I'd love too. See you tomorrow Steve!" said Chloe as she and Clark walked toward the Kent home.  
  
"Yeah tomorrow." Steve said in a strained voice.  
  
"You ok?" asked Clark half turning.  
  
"Yeah no problems," said Steve forcing a smile.  
  
Clark nodded and turned back toward the house. Steve's smile turned slightly less strained as he watched the two walk away. Their hands finding each other and fingers intertwining with the concentrated awkwardness of two people in the midst of a budding romance.  
  
Steve slowly took his hands out of his pockets and watched them. They were shaking with an ever-increasing force. Steve took a deep concentrated breath and turned down the road. As he let the breath out he vanished. Running down the road with a speed to rival that of one of his new friends. 


	2. Friends and secrets

Subject: Smallville, Clark-Chloe…sort of  
  
Disclaimer: Nope I don't own them no offense or copy-right legal stuff intended  
  
Time-Line/Spoilers: During/Post Obscura…kind of a re-arrangement/rewrite of some events and what happened after. And Just for Clarification I am messing with the timetable for Tempest and pretty much washing out most of the plotline for it..  
  
Rating: PG-13 I guess…mostly for language, and maybe the action sequences.  
  
Note from ME to the READER: Reviews are appreciated and may help me decide which direction to go with this thing While this is a C/C get together type of thing and I am a SERIOUSLY Rabid fan of that relationship There IS a plot going outside that. Kinda follows the episode's "Freak of the Weak" idea……with a twist. SO bear with me in the beginning while I introduce a new Character  
  
  
  
Part 2 – Friends and Secrets  
  
  
  
……Wednesday Afternoon Just after School…..  
  
………….Torch Office……….  
  
"Any Luck?" asked Clark.  
  
"Just….one….Second," said Steve, his hands deep inside the mess of cables that was hanging out of the side of one of the Torch's Imacs. He pulled his tool-laden hands out and gently stuffed the wires back into place. "There that should do it. Just let me plug it in and you can give it a shot." He bent over and plugged it back into the wall outlet before nodding at Clark.  
  
"Well it's turning back on," said Clark as Steve screwed the computer's side panel back on. "I just hope my article didn't fry along with the rest of it."  
  
"It shouldn't have," Steve said as he came to stand behind his new friend, and both teens waited.  
  
"There it is," sighed Clark. "Great I thought that was a couple of hours down the drain. Thanks."  
  
Steve Shrugged. "It's a pleasure. So did Pete ever catch up with that girl at the Talon the other night?"  
  
"You know I am not sure but he usually does," grinned Clark.  
  
"You know not to pry or anything but you and Chloe look great together. How long have you and Chloe been a thing?" asked Steve, as he sat down.  
  
"Oh we're not actually a thing," said Clark quickly.  
  
Steve raised an eyebrow skeptically.  
  
"Ok well we might be a thing but there's hasn't been any formal declaration or anything," admitted Clark after Steve had stared at him for several seconds. "I mean I want it to be a thing but…" he trailed off.  
  
"But?" laughed Steve.  
  
"But what?" said Chloe from as passed through the doorway at her normal high speed walk, a cup of coffee in one hand and a stack of notebooks in the other. "Sorry I am late guys. The Talon was packed and I can't work without my.."  
  
"Coffee," finished Clark with a grin.  
  
"Caffeine is a must," said Chloe with mock indignation as he set her folders down and gave Clark a false glare for interrupting her. "But what?"  
  
"But what?" echoed Steve.  
  
"What you and Clark were talking about?  
  
"We were just discussing Pete's 'area effect' approach when it comes to women." said Steve noticing out of the corner of his eye Clark's momentary look of panic. "We were arguing the advantages when you walked in."  
  
"Really?" Chloe said as she gave her friends, old and new, a hard look.  
  
Steve grinned impishly back at her and Clark smiled at the teasing.  
  
"Well I think I will leave you two strangers to finish that conversation alone for a few minutes while I get something from my locker," said Chloe. "When I return my friends had better be back."  
  
"Thanks," said Clark when Chloe was out of earshot.  
  
"For what?" asked Steve, as he picked a book out of his backpack and started to read it.  
  
"Not mentioning the other thing."  
  
Steve looked at him. "You're welcome. You've probably got a time all picked out, but if you are waiting for the perfect time….Just don't pass up good time just because it wasn't in the plan."  
  
  
  
......Smallville High Parking Lot…..  
  
……..Several Hours Later…….  
  
"Crap," said Steve as he stopped in the parking lot. "I forgot my History homework. I'd better go back for it. You guys go on and I will catch up if I can. If not I will catch you tomorrow."  
  
"Sure you don't need us to wait?" asked Clark, as Chloe nodded that they would..  
  
"Nahh I may wander over to the Talon and watch Pete chase women," grinned Steve. "Maybe try and get him to hook me up. Bye guys."  
  
The couple laughed and waved before they turned and resumed their walk home. Steve turned to go, then paused and watched them walk away. They walked close together, one tall and fit the other short and bouncy. They walked close together and Steve could almost see their hands twitching with itch to its opposite number. Clark's thoughts were almost perfectly aligned with Steve's. And if his hand wasn't itching to grab Chloe's his brain certainly was. He reached over slowly and took it, smiling to himself as she grasped it firmly and sidled just a half step closer to him.  
  
"What's that for? Chloe asked as she looked up at him.  
  
Clark almost blushed as he belatedly realized that his smile wasn't as internal as he thought "Just this," he said raising their joined hands.  
  
"Try it more often then," Chloe said as she smiled at him.  
  
"I think I….Chloe lookout!"  
  
The two had reached the edge of the parking lot and were so caught up in each other that Clark didn't see Hank until the Smallville High's starting tight end slammed into Chloe at a dead run. Clark went down by instinct letting Chloe's momentum knock them both over. At the same time he tried to kept hold of Chloe, and keep her from slamming into the concrete. All three ended up in a pile on the sidewalk.  
  
"Hank what are...." exclaimed Chloe once she got her breath.  
  
"Hank are you all right?" asked Clark at the same moment.  
  
"Clark?" exclaimed Chloe.  
  
"Chloe look at him."  
  
Chloe blinked as she looked his face. The football player's lip was bloodied and he had large bruise forming around his right eye. His clothing was in little better shape, torn in places with cuts showing underneath. "What happened? She said as she struggled to her feet, and Clark pushed himself to his feet.  
  
If Hank answered she never heard as he suddenly felt an iron grip on her arm and was flung through the air too land with bruising impact in the middle of the street. A stabbing pain in her arm and the impact on the pavement combing to rob her of her senses but not her consciousness.  
  
Clark got to his feet just as Chloe's feet left the ground. His response was immediate, but the result was painful. "Ugghhh," Clark groaned as his sudden burst of super speed was cut off by a wave of the intense pain that Clark only felt in the presence of Meteor fragments. His dash for Chloe was stopped like he'd slammed into a  
  
lead wall and he stumbled to ground. Through the haze of the waves of pain flowing through him and leaching him of his strength Clark saw a emerald green haze in the eyes of the boy in front of him. Beyond the eyes he saw Chloe lying in the road, with the shadow of a bus about to hit her. "Chloe!" Clark tried to scream but it came out a horse croak as he fell to his knees in helpless anguish.  
  
Steve stood motionless in the doorway of the school as Chloe was hurled into the path of the oncoming Greyhound. Steve was moving before he was even aware of it, his history papers flapping softly to the ground in his wake. The world stretched out into a sort of blurred tunnel with only thing in any kind of focus Chloe's struggling form. Steve crossed the parking lot in the blink of an eye and killed his speed as he stepped off the curb, letting his momentum carry him into the semi-conscious teen and grabbed her in a tuck-and-roll that carried them away from the bus and into the grassy ditch beyond. He barely registered the screech of brakes the bus driver's attempt to stop.  
  
Steve checked Chloe and saw that the roll over the concrete had knocked her out. Steve stood to see chaos quickly forming. The bus had come to stop with a quarter of its length over the spot where Chloe had been. The driver was just getting out and Steve could see him looking hurriedly under the bus. There was a figure running rapidly across the school campus in the distance but with the setting sun in his eyes Steve could tell no more than a figure. A second later Clark came dashing around the bus.  
  
"Clark!" Steve called as he stooped to pick up Chloe. He tried to be careful of her left arm, which was bent at an odd angle. "Over here!"  
  
"Chloe!" Clark said as he charged over. "Is she all right??"  
  
"I think so," answered Steve "We need to get her to a hospital though. Her arm looks broken"  
  
"Here," said Clark immediately reaching out for her. His face a mass mixture of worry and fear."  
  
"Careful," said Steve as he gently handed her over. "I'll call her folks and yours. What's the number?"  
  
  
  
…..The Next Morning…..  
  
…….Smallville Hospital…… 


	3. Part2a

…..The Next Day…..  
  
……..Smallville Medical Center….  
  
"Hey you're awake!" said Clark, a smile lighting up his face as he walked into Chloe's room and sat down in a chair next to her bed.  
  
"Yeah and already bored out of my mind," said Chloe, her smile both a greeting and reaction to Clark's enthusiasm to see her. It was still a new thing to believe he wanted to see her for more than just being "good ole Chloe." "What have I missed?"  
  
"Chloe it's only been a day." A long day he thought as he remembered her empty chair from the classes they shared.  
  
"Clark this is Smallville," retorted Chloe. "You and I both know what can happen in a day in this town."  
  
"Well I hope someone warns me one of these days," laughed a voice from the doorway.  
  
"Hey Steve," said Clark as he turned slightly in his chair to nod at the young man in the doorway.  
  
"Come in," said Chloe. "Clark seems to have snagged the only chair though."  
  
"No problem," Steve shrugged. "I won't stay long I just wanted to see how you were doing."  
  
"Like someone rolled my down a rocky hill," she replied. "I can't get a straight answer from anybody here about what happened. Except for the fact that I owe you at least a thank you."  
  
"That's what friends are for," said Steve with a shrug and a smile.  
  
"What's the last thing you do remember?" asked Clark.  
  
"Well after Hank knocked us over I remember being tossed like a sack of your mom's potatoes," Chloe said after a moments thought. "What happened to him by the way, and who, or what tossed me??"  
  
"Is this normal?  
  
"I beg your pardon?" said Clark turning to look at Steve, who was standing at the edge of the bed with raised eyebrows and strange smirk on his face/  
  
"I said is this normal," repeated Steve. "She's in the hospital for a mild concussion and a nearly broken arm, because she was tossed ten feet through air, directly in the path of a greyhound bus. The next day she's barely out of anesthesia before she starts asking questions. This is normal?"  
  
"Pretty much," said Clark as he reached unconsciously for Chloe's good hand. "Chloe Sullivan reporter without fear."  
  
Steve smiled inwardly at Clark's hand movements but kept the smile from reaching his face. "Well then on to the questions. Hank wasn't even admitted to the hospital. I heard a couple of Doctors talking to a woman who I guess was his mother. They said that he had a bruised jaw and black eye but nothing was broken. He also had some bandages on his hand for whatever that's worth."  
  
"Hmmm," mused Chloe. "Sounds like he was in a fight or something. Why didn't you notice any of that Clark?"  
  
"He was pretty distracted," said Steve with a smirk, which turned into a laugh, as Clark looked slightly embarrassed by the comment.  
  
"Right," said Chloe with a straight face. Well distracted is a step in the right direction I guess. She thought. "So who threw me around?"  
  
"I think I recognized him," replied Steve. "It looked like a guy in my Math class named Thomas Howard."  
  
"Thomas Howard?" asked Clark in surprise.  
  
"You know him?" said Steve.  
  
"Only casually," said Clark. "Pete and he are both on the football team so I have seen him around. He's the smallest guy on the team. I wouldn't think he could pick Chloe up much less toss her around."  
  
"One handed," added Steve.  
  
"ONE handed?" echoed Clark in disbelief. Steve nodded.  
  
"Well isn't that interesting," remarked Chloe with a sudden sparkle in her eyes.  
  
"Oh no," muttered Clark and aimed a resigned smile in Chloe's direction.  
  
"Now what?" said Steve.  
  
"She's got that 'Wall of Weird' look," said Clark in a resigned tone of voice. Chloe's passion and determination were two of the things he loved most about her, except in times like this. "You are not getting out of here until the Doctors say so Chloe."  
  
"I know," said Chloe in disgust. "More jello."  
  
"The fascists," said Clark with a smile, which Chloe returned.  
  
"I missed that one," said Steve staring at the smiles.  
  
"Long story," explained Clark. "But she's right we need to figure it out. If it was Tom he was gone before I even got to my feet." Clark was also beginning to suspect where the meteor rock effect had come from but that was something he'd have to keep to himself.  
  
"I'll make a reporter of you yet farm boy," grinned Chloe.  
  
"You might," he smiled. "But I am also doing this in the vain hope you will TRY and get some rest while you are here instead of worrying about this."  
  
"No promises Clark."  
  
"Well we might as well get started," said Clark. As he stood and released Chloe's hand, not noticing the flash of disappointment that flashed across her face at the loss of the contact.  
  
"We have some time," argued Steve. "The football guys are still practicing at the moment. They won't get out for at least another hour or so. I am feeling my post school munchies attack coming on so I am gonna go grab something to eat. Watching me eat is a pretty dull experience so you hang here and keep Chloe company." He grinned at them. "What say I meet you at the Talon in an hour and a half? "  
  
"Sounds like a plan," said Clark as he sat back down and Chloe reclaimed his hand.  
  
"Good," said Steve as he headed for the door. "And Chloe try and get some rest. Clark and I may not be Planet material but if we take good enough notes you should be able to fix whatever we mess up."  
  
"Not with your handwriting," laughed Chloe. "I'd never be able to read the notes."  
  
"Touché," said Steve from the doorway and then he was gone.  
  
  
  
……….The Talon……..  
  
………..Almost Two Hours Later……..  
  
Clark walked into the packed Coffee shop. His eyes scanning around the maze of people as he looked for Steve. To his surprise he saw him at one of the tables by the front bar talk amiably with Lana. The even greater surprise was that it didn't really bother him all that much. A little over a month earlier a scene like that would have sparked at least a momentary flash of jealousy. As Clark paused and looked at Lana he realized that over the past few weeks even seeing her with Whitney didn't seem to bother him all that much anymore. The realization was surprising, but pleasantly so. Then Steve caught sight of him and waved.  
  
"Hey Lana, Steve," said Clark as he weaved his way up to the table and grabbed a chair.  
  
"Hey Clark," said Lana with a bright smile and the remnants of a chuckle. "Your friend here was just trying to distract me from this madness." She said indicating the crowd.  
  
"Steve has a unique sense of humor," said Clark with a grin. Remembering some of Steve's rather dry and sometimes off color jokes of the past few days.  
  
"Me?" said Steve with a touch of false shock in his voice.  
  
"Yes you," agreed Lana with a laugh. "Well back to madness. It was nice meeting you Steve." She said standing.  
  
"Likewise," said Steve with smile.  
  
"Bye Clark. Tell Chloe I said I hope she feels better."  
  
"I will. Bye Lana," said Clark before turning to Steve. "I passed the school on my way here and the fields looked empty. Sorry I'm late."  
  
"They should be," snorted Steve. "You missed the muscle parade by about thirty minutes. They picked up their significant others and lit out for wherever they go when they aren't at school."  
  
Clark's face fell. "I guess I was later than I thought."  
  
"Don't worry about it," said Steve. "The coach let them off early today. I was able to ask a couple of questions before they took off. Besides I am sure Chloe needed the company. How is she really feeling?"  
  
"Tired," said Clark. "She was dozing off when I left."  
  
"Good. Best thing for a concussion is a nap."  
  
"Really?" said Clark. "That sounds like an experienced answer."  
  
Steve laughed. "It is. I climbed a lot of trees when I was little. Problem is I fell out of most of them."  
  
"Trees in Gotham?"  
  
"Cities have parks Clark," Steve said dryly. "Besides we lived in the suburbs before… well you know."  
  
"Sorry, so what did you get?" asked Clark to change the subject. Steve had explained to his new friends that a drunk driver had killed his parents six months before precipitating his move to Smallville.  
  
"A little bit," remarked Steve. "It seems that Thomas being a member of the JV team, even a non-playing one, doesn't sit well with anyone."  
  
"Really?" said Clark.  
  
"Yeah the guys don't like him cause he slows up practice a lot," explained Steve. "He's not much into sports, more of an intellectual I guess."  
  
"That's right," said Clark. "I remember being surprised when he showed up to try out for the JV team."  
  
"According to some the guys I talked to it looks like it may be parental incentive that got him to try out," said Steve as Clark raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Howard and his son apparently had it out a few months ago and enough of it was public for the team to get the general idea. Combined with the fact that the coach won't kick anyone off who is at least giving his best. And for all their annoyance at him they all admit he IS trying."  
  
"Except Hank," Clark guessed.  
  
"Chloe was right," nodded Steve with a grin. "She will make a reporter of you if you aren't careful. Hank apparently started riding him real hard after the incident with his dad. You know teasing him and trying to make him quit. Something has changed though."  
  
"Oh?" said Clark. "Let me guess. He's started benching more than any of them."  
  
"Right again," nodded Steve. "You sure you weren't hiding and watching me with a tape recorder?"  
  
"Nope," said Clark. "I guess Chloe and the wall are starting to rub off."  
  
"Can't say that's a bad thing," said Steve. "Anyways they say he started drinking some new kind of power drink and ZINNG he was benching two or three times what he was before. Another odd thing is that they say it hasn't improved anything else, just his muscles. He still can't keep up running or on any of the calisthenics that they do."  
  
"So he's just gotten stronger," mused Clark thoughtfully.  
  
"Yeah," Steve said. "Word is that Hank and he got into a fight yesterday and Thomas was pretty much cleaning his clock until Hank took off. The rest we know I guess."  
  
"Yeah he ran into us," remarked Clark, and then mentally braced himself. "I don't remember if I ever thanked you."  
  
"Thanked me?" he said surprised  
  
"For helping Chloe,"  
  
That must have hurt. He thought looking at his friend "Clark Chloe is my friend. From the first moment I walked into the Torch she refused to treat me like an outsider. You all are, I haven't been around here very long and u guys just seemed to suck me and make me part of the group. Hell I should be thanking you."  
  
Clark shook his head. "It takes a good friend to have good friends Steve."  
  
"We're even then," said Steve with a grin. "But I'm gonna be in trouble if I don't get home eventually," he added standing.  
  
"And I promised Chloe I would bring her laptop too her," said Clark.  
  
"Never keep a woman waiting," advised Steve the sage tone in his voice tainted by a smirk. "Especially that one."  
  
"No argument," laughed Clark. "I'll bring her up to speed on what you figured out."  
  
"Good maybe she'll have some ideas," muttered Steve as they walked to the door. "All I did was ask some questions. We still don't know the how yet."  
  
"We will," said Clark. "See you tomorrow."  
  
"On the flipside," agreed Steve, as the boys went their separate ways.  
  
  
  
....Friday Lunchtime…  
  
….Torch Office…..  
  
  
  
Chloe walked silently into the doorway of the Torch's office and smiled at the sight. Clark was sitting alone in the office his with back to her, his posture she could tell he was rushing, and frustrated. Probably ran into a snag with the article program she thought. He usually does. He was typing furiously and kept referring to some papers beside him which looked like the notes they had sketched out together the night before in her hospital room. The Doctor has refused to let Clark bring the Laptop in, saying that it would distract her from her rest. So she and Clark had been forced to hand write a lot of the stuff that she wanted in this week's edition. A daunting task but together the two of them had gotten it done. She smiled again at that word, together.  
  
"So how far behind are you," she asked brightly as he walked into the office.  
  
"Chloe?" asked Clark in surprise as he spun his chair around.  
  
"In the flesh," she said. She could see the concern in eyes. Beneath it however was the million-watt smile that always seemed to tug her heartstrings into knots. "I didn't sneak out Clark. They released me."  
  
"Well then you should probably be home resting," he said.  
  
"And leave the torch in your hands?" she said with a smirk. "The last time that happened it took me a week to undue the damage." Clark laughed as he stood up and hugged her. She hugged him back, breathing in all the things that were uniquely him. "So how far behind are you?" she asked as she pulled out of his embrace.  
  
"Far enough that I wouldn't care even if you HAD snuck out," said Clark with a grin.  
  
"Great," Chloe sighed. "Then lets get to work. Hey what happened there?" she asked suddenly pointing at one of the Torch's IMACS. It's side panel pulled off and half its innards pulled out over the table.  
  
"Steve happened," said Clark sitting back down. "That's the one that keeps crashing all the time. Steve apparently ordered a replacement part for it."  
  
"He did what??" exclaimed Chloe. "How did get the school to authorize that?"  
  
"I didn't," said Steve from the door with a package under his arm. "I just bought it myself. Or rather I got my uncle to do it."  
  
"Steve you can't do that," said Chloe. "Those part aren't cheap."  
  
"Actually they are," said Steve package. "If you know someone who manufactures the right parts. My Uncle runs a plant for Wayne Enterprises in Gotham. They always have surplus stuff that they donate or sell cheaply to schools, hospitals, and stuff. Since this is for a school-funded activity my uncle shoehorned it into the 'donate' column. No sweat."  
  
"Chloe say thank you," said Clark laughing at Chloe astonished expression  
  
"Thank you," said Chloe a bit dumbstruck. "I just wish you'd been around when the Torch caught on fire."  
  
"I doubt I would have been that much help," said Steve depreciatingly. "I don't ask my uncle for stuff very often. So he usually comes through, but there are limits. Now that I think about it though what are you doing here?"  
  
"They let me out and my father just left for Metropolis for some seminar or other," said Chloe. "He'll be gone all weekend and so the house is empty. Very dull."  
  
"So you came to school?" Steve said incredulously.  
  
"No I came to the Torch.  
  
"Totally different thing," agreed Clark with a grin.  
  
"You two are nuts," said Steve. "Guess I'll have to fix this later," he added as the bell rang. "Coming Clark?"  
  
"Go on Clark don't be late," she said as he opened his mouth to say he was going to finish the paper. "I can finish this. You've probably done enough damage for one day."  
  
"Ok," said Clark as he picked up his book bag from the floor. "See you after class?"  
  
"I'll be right here," she answered gesturing to her computer.  
  
"Good," he said and before he could think about it leaned over and kissed her. Not long or deep but with more than friendly affection to it. Chloe was so stunned she just blinked at him a few times after he pulled away. Their eyes locked for a second as Clark's actions caught up with his brain. "Ummm…" he stuttered suddenly unsure why that had seemed like such a good idea a minute ago.  
  
Chloe smiled at him and grabbed his hand to squeeze it. "See you later Clark."  
  
"Yeah," he grinned back. 


	4. Part2b

Subject: Smallville, Clark-Chloe…sort of  
  
Disclaimer: Nope I don't own them no offense or copy-right legal stuff intended  
  
Time-Line/Spoilers: During/Post Obscura…kind of a re-arrangement/rewrite of some events and what happened after. And Just for Clarification I am messing with the timetable for Tempest and pretty much washing out most of the plotline for it..  
  
Rating: PG-13 I guess…mostly for language, and maybe the action sequences.  
  
Note from ME to the READER: Reviews are appreciated and may help me decide which direction to go with this thing While this is a C/C get together type of thing and I am a SERIOUSLY Rabid fan of that relationship There IS a plot going outside that. Kinda follows the episode's "Freak of the Weak" idea……with a twist. SO bear with me in the beginning while I introduce a new Character  
  
  
  
….Late After School…..  
  
….Torch Office…..  
  
  
  
"Finally!" said Chloe as Steve and Clark came through the Torch's office with Talon coffee to go in their hands. "You guys come over here and check this out."  
  
Steve looked at Clark, who shrugged, typical Chloe no pre-amble or hello just right down to business.  
  
"What is it?" asked Clark as the two boys came around to stand behind her computer. "By the way you're welcome." He added setting down her coffee.  
  
"Thanks," she smiled up at him. "Well when Clark told me last night that the JV football guys had seen some kind of a new power drink and like a week later he was lifting all that weight I got to wondering what it was. Steve did they mention anything about the drink itself?"  
  
"Only that it was green," said Steve "Like that lemon-lime Gatorade stuff. Also he wouldn't let any of them near it."  
  
"Is that it?"  
  
"Well actually one of them said it looked really thick, almost like a milkshake," said Steve. "What are you getting at? You really think he's drinking something that makes him stronger?"  
  
"Actually yes I do," Chloe replied as she punched up an old article on her screen. "The Howard's house is near a meteor hit. I called his mother and asked where it hit and she said it actually took out part of the well they had in their backyard. They got a new one made but the other is still there. What is Tom is getting water out of that old well and it is laced with those meteor rock dust or something?"  
  
"It wouldn't be the strangest thing," agreed Clark. "I can't believe that stuff would be good for him though."  
  
"It probably isn't," agreed Chloe. "But if it helps he keep up with the team and gets his Dad off his back then he might just be drinking it anyways."  
  
"So what do you suggest we do?" asked Steve, but Clark new even before she said it.  
  
"We break into his gym locker and see if he left any in there," said Chloe, grabbing her jacket and her camera and racing toward the door before either of the boys could stop her or make any kind of comment.  
  
Clark sighed loudly.  
  
"Boy you said it," agreed Steve. "Come on we'd better catch up with her."  
  
"Right," said Clark as they both raced after Chloe.  
  
The two boys caught up with her as she reached the hallway leading to the boys locker room. Clark grabbed her just as she was about to rush right around a rack of sports equipment and charge right in.  
  
"Uh Chloe, guys locker room remember," he said.  
  
"Oh yeah right," Chloe somewhat embarrassed. Racing down the empty hallways in hot pursuit of a story she hadn't really thought about it that way. "Guess you guys better go."  
  
"Wait a second," said Clark. "How are we supposed to get into his locker. I know most people don't lock theirs but Tom probably did." Clark could open a locked locker of course, but they didn't know that.  
  
"Blast Clark," growled Chloe. "Why are you always so practical?"  
  
"One of us has to be," replied Clark with a grin.  
  
"One of us should at least check it out," said Chloe. "We might get lucky."  
  
"I'll go," said Steve, when Clark seemed to hesitate. "Two of us might get somebody's attention. You guys watch the hallways." Clark nodded somewhat relieved not to have go near the meteor fragments that might be in there.  
  
Steve manufactured a straight before opening the door. Chloe and Clark waited impatiently outside the door for several minutes.  
  
"I'm gonna go check around the corner," said Clark. Chloe nodded and he trotted off to check the hallway that was roughly fifteen feet down from the door. Just as he reached it Steve came out of the door with a plastic bottle.  
  
"Bingo," Steve said excitedly. Showing the bottle to Chloe. It was half full of a thick green liquid. "Hey where's Clark?" They both turned at a sudden groan from down the hallway  
  
"Clark?" yelled Chloe and Steve spun to see Clark being forced into a half kneeling on the ground with the shorter Thomas Howard's arm around his throat.  
  
"Give me the bottle," said Thomas his voice frighteningly devoid of emotion. "Or I'll snap his neck."  
  
"God" said Steve quietly. "Look at his eyes… He nuts."  
  
Chloe could see it too, the madness behind the green haze that covered his eyes. "What are we gonna do?" she said urgently. Clark looked like had already passed out from lack of oxygen. His eyes were open but they looked cloudy. Beside her Steve took a deep breath.  
  
"I'll distract him," said Steve his eye intent on Thomas's arm. "You grab Clark."  
  
"How…" Chloe started and blinked in utter astonishment as Steve suddenly vanished into a multi colored blur.  
  
Steve crossed the fifteen feet between himself and Clark in less than a second. Grabbing Thomas's arm as soon as he reached them. Part of him noticing that Clark's skin was rippling everywhere he could see it. Using his momentum and speeded up reflexes he drew the arm away from Clark's throat before Thomas could react and flung the boy as far down the hallway as he could.  
  
"Chloe come on!" he shouted placing himself between Clark and Thomas, the latter of who was struggling to his feet.  
  
Chloe raced up and grabbed Clark "Steve how…"  
  
"Later!" he barked, turning back to the now advancing Thomas. "Get him out of here and get help." Steve moved again, blurring as he activated his speed. Tripping Thomas as he ran by him. Thomas regained his feet and watched Steve warily.  
  
Chloe dragged Clark down the hall as fast as she could manage. He was coming around as he got some distance between himself and Thomas, but he could still feel the pain flowing through his body.  
  
"Clark?" Chloe said worriedly his eyes were open but she was pretty sure he wasn't seeing her. "Come on wake up please." Clark groaned much to Chloe's relief but she saw that he would be unable to help her.  
  
"Chloe?" Clark croaked. "Steve.."  
  
"He's…" she didn't finish  
  
"What's the matter nothing left?" she heard Thomas say.  
  
Rushing back to the hallway she saw Thomas standing between her and Steve he was watching his opponent warily. She saw him blur momentarily as his speed increased, then almost like a stutter he stopped and started moving again. In the brief moment second he was visible clearly she saw his hand on his head. His second burst of speed had no control and he slammed into one of the lockers lining the hallway.  
  
Chloe looked around desperately for something to help her, then she saw it and ran back toward Clark.  
  
Steve felt the wave of dizziness just as he moved to go around Thomas. The next thing he felt was the metal of the locker slamming into the side of his head.  
  
"Ackk," he said as Thomas grabbed him by the throat and hefted him up off the ground. Steve could feel the iron grip of his assailant tighten as his the last of his breath vanished he began to see black spots forming in is vision…  
  
CCRRACCK!  
  
Suddenly the pressure was gone and Steve was laying on the floor gasping for air. Drawing in great gulps of air despite the pain to his sore windpipe. He looked up to find Chloe standing over Thomas's inert form. One of the high school's baseball bats from equipment rack outside the locker room in her hand.  
  
"You all right?" asked Chloe her voice shaking only slightly as she lowered the bat and Steve struggled to his feet.  
  
He nodded uncertain if he could speak. We moved forward and checked Thomas's pulse.  
  
"Is he?…." she trailed off unable to say it.  
  
"No," Steve croaked as he felt a steady beat on Thomas's throat. "He's just out cold. Let's hope he stays there."  
  
Chloe nodded. "Clark," she said before turning and rushing down around the corner to where left Clark propped up against the wall.  
  
Steve left Thomas where he lay and followed Chloe. By the time he got around the corner Clark was almost to his feet, leaning heavily on his friend. "How ya feeling?" he asked.  
  
"I've been better," admitted Clark. The effects of the meter rocks in Thomas's body and the half empty bottle on the floor were still making him feel very sick.  
  
"Yeah me too," said Steve feeling his head where he had slammed into the lockers. "Chloe get you cell phone and lets call the police before that guys wakes up."  
  
Chloe nodded and reached to her waist for the phone. "This ought to be interesting." 


	5. Part 3

okSubject: Smallville, Clark-Chloe…sort of  
  
Disclaimer: Nope I don't own them no offense or copy-right legal stuff intended  
  
Time-Line/Spoilers: During/Post Obscura…kind of a re-arrangement/rewrite of some events and what happened after. And Just for Clarification I am messing with the timetable for Tempest and pretty much washing out most of the plotline for it..  
  
Rating: PG-13 I guess…mostly for language, and maybe the action sequences.  
  
Note from ME to the READER: Reviews are appreciated and may help me decide which direction to go with this thing While this is a C/C get together type of thing and I am a SERIOUSLY Rabid fan of that relationship There IS a plot going outside that. Kinda follows the episode's "Freak of the Weak" idea……with a twist. SO bear with me in the beginning while I introduce a new Character  
  
  
  
….The Fortress of Solitude….  
  
…..Several Hours Later…  
  
"Clark?" asked Steve as he walked up the steps into the loft. "You up there?"  
  
"Yeah we're both here," answered Chloe.  
  
Steve saw Clark and Chloe standing together by the window of the loft. They had apparently been looking out the window and they turned as he came up the steps.  
  
"How's your head?" asked Clark his look thoughtful and his tone neutral.  
  
"It hurts," replied Steve. "Four stitches, you?"  
  
"No problems," Clark shrugged. "A bump on the head and slightly sore throat." He exaggerated slightly. "Nothing to worry about."  
  
"Well?" said Chloe, her tone pointed and her look piercing. "Where do you want start?"  
  
Clark sighed "Chloe." But she stared him down, apparently the two had already had this argument once.  
  
"He said later Clark," she said firmly, her voice just this side of frosty. "This is later."  
  
"She's right Clark," said Steve resignedly. "This is gonna be something of a speech though so you might want to sit down." he added pointing to the couch. Chloe took a seat and fixed him with her penetrating 'Reporter' stare while Clark stood behind the couch with his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Where to begin," muttered Steve as he paced to window and stood staring out into the night. Chloe opened her mouth to say something but Clark gently squeezed her shoulders and she subsided. "It started when I was about nine. I have a godfather who works as a forensics scientist for the local police department near where I grew up. One day I was hanging out there because he was gonna take my cousin and I out to a movie after. It was raining like the sky was gonna fall down. Lightning, thunder the whole deal." Steve paused and smiled to himself, his body half turned to Chloe and Clark, his eyes distant. "I love thunderstorms like that. So I was standing by the window looking out when the lightning struck. I was standing next to a tall metal shelf full of chemicals and solutions one second and the next I was waking up in the hospital twelve hours later; covered in bandages."  
  
"Ouch," muttered Clark almost to himself.  
  
Steve didn't seem to hear him. "I remember seeing the police surveillance camera tapes, and watching that metal shelf explode and throw me some ten feet through the air. My brother told me later there was still electricity sparking off my hands when he finally got the remains of the shelf off me."  
  
"What happened after that?" asked Chloe as Steve showed no sign of continuing. Her voice was firm but kinder than it had been when he started.  
  
"Nothing really," said Steve, looking at Chloe. "I spent a couple of weeks in the hospital for burns and glass cuts and then I was back out on the monkey bars so-to-speak. Of course that changed when I tried to run from my Dad, who was chasing me with the water hose. I plowed right into our backyard's wooden fence."  
  
"No control?" said Clark.  
  
"Zip," agreed Steve, whose deep reverie seemed to have past. He now almost seemed cheerful to reveal the secret. "Scared the pants off my dad though, he was something of a scientist himself, pharmaceutical research of some kind. We never told anyone about it, even when it started happening on a regular basis. We just spent the next four years hiding it and driving out in to the middle of nowhere to let me run and stuff without fear of bumping into things. Then, of course, came the car accident that killed my folks and landed me here."  
  
"So how fast can you run and what else can you do?" asked Chloe eagerly.  
  
"I don't know and that's it," replied Steve. "I mean I know I can move fast but how fast?" he shrugged. "It's not like I am out chasing cars or anything."  
  
"Oh yeah I guess that's true," said Chloe. "We should get a timer or something and measure off distance…." Chloe was already up rooting around Clark's loft for a stopwatch.  
  
"Chloe," said Clark with a smile as she bustled about in her usual high energy fashion. "I'm fairly certain that I don't have a stopwatch up here. After the day we've had why don't we just let it be? He told us."  
  
"But…" she said, then stopped as it was her this time who was stared down. She took a deep breath and sighed "You're right. I haven't been very polite this evening. I guess my reporter mode kicked in."  
  
"I noticed," said Steve with a slight smirk. "So what happened to you guys, and Thomas?"  
  
"He has a concussion but he'll be all-right," replied Clark. "Apparently the water from his family's old well was contaminated with meteor rock dust and he was drinking the water to beef up."  
  
"Yeah the side effect seems to be in made him a little nuts," Chloe added as she came and stood beside Clark. "His mother told the cops he's been getting more and more belligerent over the past few months. I guess he got stronger the more he drank."  
  
"And crazier," added Steve. "We can hope he'll recover. Oh and that reminds me Chloe, I probably owe you my life. Thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it," she said smiling at him. "I'd better get going though it's late and I promised my dad I wouldn't be over here too long. If he calls and I am not at the house he'll go ballistic."  
  
"Drive safe," said Steve.  
  
"Walk me to my car Clark?" said Chloe, as she turned she saw Clark's mouth just in the process of opening. He shut it quickly and blinked once or twice.  
  
"Yes," he said when she grinned at him. Clark nodded at Steve and then walked Chloe down and out of the barn.  
  
"Don't let her get away Clark," said Steve when his friend returned some ten minutes later.  
  
Clark nodded. That thought had been floating around in his mind for weeks now. "I don't plan on it. So how are you really feeling?"  
  
"Truthfully?" said Steve. "I'm not really sure. The only other people who knew before today were my folks. In a way, it's a relief. But I feel like I've burdened you both with something."  
  
"I suppose that is one way of looking at," Clark said. "But I've always thought friends were there to help share the burden."  
  
"I would normally be the first to agree," said Steve. "It's a little tougher when you are the one doing the burdening."  
  
"We'll all just have to learn to live with it," said Clark, with a certain sense understanding.  
  
"Yeah," agreed Steve as he pushed off from the ledge and got ready to leave. "Time for me to go as well. Just wanted to thank you for not…well….."  
  
"Freaking out?" answered Clark taking Steve's outstretched hand. "We take a lot to freak around here. Night Steve." The boys shook hands.  
  
  
  
  
  
Note to the readers. Ok this happens in the Tempest area and beyond…. Good episode but they had way too many plots running simultaneous I thought so I dumped most of them, moved some around and rewrote a few. I stuck to Romance and Tornados. Please nobody kill me. And for those of u C/C shippers (like me) who wanted to kill that damned announcer at the dance. Get ready for a surprise!  
  
  
  
Part 3 – Shared Secrets and Departures  
  
  
  
…..Smallville High….  
  
…..Two Weeks Later…..  
  
  
  
"Boy what a week," muttered Steve as he walked rapidly down the empty halls toward the Torch. Actually the last two he amended silently to himself. With the Spring Formal rapidly approaching a lot of things had begun happening at once. The new principal decided, much too Chloe's dismay, that the Torch needed to run a story following the preparations so that all the people who set it up would not be forgotten. She had told Chloe that the Torch was a school paper and that there needed to be more school activities in it and less "weirdness." Steve grinned as he remembered Clark's description of Chloe's somewhat incoherent response. Luckily Clark had been there to keep Chloe from going into rant in front of the new principal.  
  
Steve had volunteered to keep track of it so Chloe could concentrate on the "real news" in Smallville. This, of course, meant that he was running around taking pictures of decorations and getting quotes from people who were more interested in balloons and color schemes than talking to him. On top of that Chloe had made it her mission to discover every single aspect of his powers, which meant wandering out to the vast farmlands that surrounded Smallville with Chloe, Clark, and a stopwatch. It was frustrating and fun at the same time.  
  
Then there was Lana. Whitney's sudden decision to leave for the marines had taken everyone by surprise. He had left the previous weekend and Lana had been hard to reach ever since. Her sunny personality just seemed to evaporate. She almost seemed to live at the Talon now. Steve, Clark, and even Chloe had tried numerous times to get her to take a day off or something. Clark was worried about her and Steve was as well. Lana had welcomed him almost as fast as Chloe and Clark, and he wished he could do something to help her.  
  
"Hey Chloe I got a couple of great…..ummm" Steve broke off as he walked into the Torch to see Clark typing at his computer alone.  
  
"Hey Steve," said Clark turning from his screen. "Chloe decided she needed some caffeine and went to the Talon."  
  
"I'm surprised you didn't offer to go for her," grinned Steve as he walked in and sat down. "You usually do."  
  
"I tried," admitted Clark, smiling. "But she said she needed to stretch her legs, and off she went."  
  
"Ahhh, " said Steve. "How long ago did she head out?"  
  
"Just a few minutes," he replied. "You need to tell her something?" he asked indicating the camera under Steve's arm. "I don't expect her back for about a half an hour.  
  
"Nahh," said Steve as he set down the camera. "Actually I was hoping for a moment alone with you." Steve had been trying a get a moment without Chloe around for the past few days. The two were inseparable and he didn't begrudge them that but he did have some questions he needed to ask Clark.  
  
Clark raised an eyebrow at Steve's nervous look. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing really I guess," said Steve as he sat down in his chair and rolled it to where he was facing his friend. "Just had some questions I wanted to ask."  
  
"Sure," said Clark.  
  
"OK now not that I don't appreciate the attention, but what is it with Chloe and my powers?"  
  
Clark laughed. "She's intrigued I think," he said. "You're the first person with strange powers we've ever met who isn't homicidal and she is taking advantage of it. I think she's just curious. You can hardly blame her."  
  
"I know," said Steve. "I'm only gonna be able to put up with it for so long. Chloe is my friend but I don't want to become her pet project."  
  
"You won't," Clark assured him. "I'll talk to her about it. Speaking of Chloe…" Clark trailed off, looking somewhat nervous.  
  
"Clark you KNOW I can't tell you that," said Steve with a laugh. This was the third time Clark had tried to get him or Pete to tell him something about Chloe's dress. Determined to get a "Man's" opinion Chloe had banished Clark from her presence and insisted that Pete and Steve give the outfit the once over. Steve had the impression that it was to tease Clark just as much as it was for verification that the dress was appropriate "She'll wring my neck."  
  
Clark sighed. "Can you keep a secret?"  
  
Steve raised an eyebrow.  
  
"OK another secret," Clark amended.  
  
"I'm sure I can," replied Steve. "But I can't guarantee that whatever you are fixing to tell me is worth me revealing information that could cost me my life."  
  
"I just need to know the color of the dress," Clark exclaimed, he sounded somewhere between annoyed and exasperated."  
  
"Why?" Steve asked surprised at the almost desperation in Clark's tone.  
  
"Because I was going to surprise her with a bunch of flowers that match her dress," said Clark. "She won't even tell m…"  
  
"Pink,"  
  
"What," said Clark surprised.  
  
"You heard me," said Steve as he watched Clark's face go from anxious to relieved. "And you realize that my life is now forfeit as soon as you show up with those plants."  
  
Clark grinned at him. Steve was just about to grin back when Clark's expression changed again to one of astonishment. Steve turned to look behind him and was just as surprised.  
  
"Hey Lana," said Clark, smiling at her. He got back a wan smile in return.  
  
"Hey Clark, Steve," she greeted the boys.  
  
"I'll just head out for a sec…" Steve said he didn't want Lana to think she had to leave, but she interrupted him.  
  
"No, Steve, stay," said Lana. "I was actually looking for both of you. I needed to apologize."  
  
"For what?" asked Clark as he reached over to pull a chair out for her.  
  
"For being such lousy company," said Lana sitting down. "I've been moping all week and you guys have all been trying to cheer me up. I just wanted you guys to know I appreciated it."  
  
"That's what friends are for," said Steve. "I wish there was something we could do."  
  
"Actually there is," she said.  
  
"Oh?" said Clark.  
  
"I need a date." Of all the things that she could have said, that was probably the absolute last thing the two boys had expected.  
  
"Like for the Dance?" asked Steve.  
  
"Yeah," said Lana. "I mean I need to get out of this funk somehow and I already have the dress and everything."  
  
"It would be a shame to waste what is undoubtedly a gorgeous evening gown," said Steve with a playful grin. This time Lana smiled at the jibe.  
  
"So, can you help me?" she asked.  
  
"Hmmmm," said Clark, his hand under his chin as if he were thinking very hard. "Single man for last minute date. Steve any suggestions?"  
  
"Let me think," said Steve as he got up to pace the length of the office, striding back and forth, tapping on his forehead, rubbing his chin, and pulling at his hair dramatically. The performance was punctuated by the occasional 'AHA!' followed by a "nope can't do it." The whole thing reduced Clark and Lana smiles and laughter.  
  
"I've got it," said Steve suddenly.  
  
"Really?" asked Lana.  
  
"I think so," answered Steve. "He's not much but he is single and relatively harmless."  
  
"Harmless?" laughed Clark. "So who is this guy?"  
  
"Yes enlighten us!" agreed Lana with a grin.  
  
Steve strode forward and dropped to one knee. "Lana, will you go to the dance with me?"  
  
Lana stared at him for a few seconds, blinking her eyes in surprise. Then she laughed. "I think that just might be a good idea." She said as she took his offered hand. "Thank you."  
  
Clark was somewhat nonplused. He hadn't really expected that. "Well now it looks as if we all have a date."  
  
"That it does," agreed Steve as he stood.  
  
"Well the Talon beckons," Lana sighed as she stood. "I'll see you guys later. Especially you!" she grinned impishly at Steve, her demeanor almost that of her normal self. There was still some sadness in her eyes but she looked as though she was feeling better.  
  
"I await the coming event with great expectations," said Steve with a bow and flourish.  
  
"Bye guys," she said chuckling as she walked out of the door.  
  
"Well that was interesting," said Clark as he raised an eyebrow at Steve.  
  
"It seemed like the thing to do," shrugged Steve. "She needs to get out and stop moping about it."  
  
"No argument."  
  
"There is one problem though," said Steve, turning to look at Clark. "I can't dance."  
  
  
  
…….The Talon…….  
  
…..Three Hours Later…..  
  
Lana walked out of the Talon storeroom and noticed that the crowd had pretty much fizzled down to a few people studying. In the thinned crowd she noticed a new face at a table by himself. After checking to be certain someone was watching the bar she headed in his direction.  
  
"Steve," she said.  
  
He looked up from the papers at his table. "Hey Lana. I thought you were gone for the night."  
  
"Nope I'm closing," she replied. "In fact I was just getting ready to take a breather before I started closing everything down. May I sit?"  
  
"Certainly," said Steve, shoving the papers in a folder and motioning to a chair.  
  
"Thanks," she said sitting.  
  
"I hope this dance thing is not gonna be a problem," said Steve after a moment. "I mean aside from the times in here with Clark and company we really haven't hung out any."  
  
"True," said Lana. "But Clark is a good judge of character and he seems to vouch for you. Besides it's nice to meet new people. Just as long as we're clear it's not a date."  
  
"Understood," agreed Steve. "I am the professional escort and dance buddy, got it." He grinned at her, she grinned back.  
  
"Now I will try not to treat you like the hired help. Speaking of which how were we planning on getting there?"  
  
"Well since it's not a date we could meet there," suggested Steve somewhat shamefacedly. "Or would Nell feel cheated without pictures?  
  
"She'll get over it," said Lana. "Meeting there would take some of the date idea out of people's head. Hey why the long face?" she said noticing his unhappy countenance."  
  
"Well feeling somewhat guilty I guess," admitted Steve. "I mean I can't even offer you a limo ride, given that the dance is like two days away."  
  
Lana smiled and then suddenly thought of something. "Are you going to be able to get a tux?"  
  
"Already have one," answered Steve. "I was planning on going stag but I was going."  
  
"Why didn't you ask anyone?"  
  
"Ummm.." Steve hesitated.  
  
"Come on; out with it," she said laughing at his obvious embarrassment.  
  
"I can't dance," said Steve sheepishly. "Or rather I dance very poorly. I would totally understand if you wanted Clark and I to go through that list of guys again now."  
  
Lana laughed. "Lack of foot coordination can be fixed," she said. "You just show up here after we close here tomorrow and we'll work on it. I'd start tonight but I have to study for a math test."  
  
"You sure," asked Steve, and she nodded. "I'll be here."  
  
"Good now get out of here so I can get this place closed."  
  
"Yes ma'am," said Steve with a smile.  
  
  
  
…….Fortress of Solitude.…..  
  
……Saturday of the Spring Formal……  
  
  
  
"Clark?" said Lex as he walked into the Kent barn.  
  
"Up here Lex," said Clark his voice sounding annoyed.  
  
Lex walked up the stairs to the loft to be greeted by the site of his friend attempting to tie his bowtie. From the look of Clark's face in the mirror and the tone of his voice, he wasn't having much luck. "Getting ready?" he asked hiding his amusement.  
  
"Trying to," muttered Clark as the tie slipped out for the eleventh time.  
  
"Here," said Lex walking over and turning Clark to face him. "I have some experience with this."  
  
"Thanks," said Clark sounding somewhat embarrassed and trying to hide it.  
  
Lex caught it anyway and stopped tying the tie. "This probably accounts for some of it," he said with a raised eyebrow as held out Clark's visibly shaking hand by the wrist. "Nervous?"  
  
"I guess it shows," Clark said as he looked at his hand while Lex released it and went back to the tie.  
  
"Only if someone happens to be looking in your general direction," said Lex with a devilish grin. "I am surprised though." He added as he stepped back and checked the tie.  
  
"Surprised?"  
  
"Well you generally don't get this nervous unless Lana happens to be around," Lex pointed out. "Although that too has been a rare thing lately. I heard she was going to the dance?"  
  
"Yeah," said Clark as he and Lex walked out of the loft. "She and Steve are kind-of going."  
  
"Ah Steve," said Lex in a neutral voice.  
  
Clark eyed his friend as they walked toward the Kent home. Steve's meeting with Lex had been just this side of frosty. Lex had come back from Metropolis shortly after the incident with Thomas. Their first meeting had for some reason been somewhat strained. The two just seemed to be oil and water. Both people had complex personalities that seemed to repel rather than mesh. Clark hoped they could work it out but for now he changed the subject.  
  
"I really want to thank you again for letting me borrow the limo," said Clark.  
  
"Can't be a Prince Charming without one," Lex replied with a negligent wave.  
  
Clark laughed. "Chloe told me yesterday that Sleeping Beauty was never her role-model."  
  
"That fails to surprise me," said Lex as he opened the door to his Porsche. "Have a good time Clark."  
  
"Bye Lex," said Clark as he turned and walked back into his house. He checked the clock on the wall. He still had plenty of time before Chloe got here.  
  
Thirty minutes later Clark was standing outside his house waiting nervously for Chloe to arrive. They had decided to meet here because Clark's parents wanted pictures. "Clark?" said Martha Kent as she walked out on the porch.  
  
"Here Mom," said Clark from beside the door where he was watching nervously down the road.  
  
Martha smiled at his look. "She'll be here Clark."  
  
"I know," said Clark. That's almost what I am afraid of, he thought  
  
"How could anyone resist you in this outfit?" said Martha as she came over and straightened his tie. She loved her son dearly and it always hurt her to see him miss out on all the things she had taken for granted growing up, because of his gifts. This was one thing he could do and that happy nervous look on his face, as well as his preparations for tonight told her he was making the most of it.  
  
"I hope it looks ok," muttered Clark. "I keep wondering if I should have gone with the red tie."  
  
"You look fine; Son," said Jonathon from the door. "And if you don't believe me ask your date. I think she's here." He added pointing to the road where Chloe's car had just pulled into the drive.  
  
"Don't leave till I get my camera!" said Martha as she walked inside, her husband rolling his eyes and laughing over his cup of coffee.  
  
"Have fun; Clark," said Jonathon. "The dance ends at what; midnight?"  
  
Clark nodded as he watched Chloe's car approach out of the corner of his eye.  
  
"The weather service has issued a tornado warning for tonight and tomorrow," said Mr. Kent, pointing to the dark building storm clouds. "I doubt we'll get any this early in the season but the wind and the rain will be pretty fierce. If you need to wait later at the school for the weather to clear up just make sure you call us."  
  
"I will; Dad," said Clark as Chloe's car pulled up beside the family's truck.  
  
"Go on son," said Jonathon with a smile. "I'll slow your mother down,"  
  
Clark nodded and walked off the porch, scooping up the corsage from the porch swing. Chloe had gotten out of her car by the time Clark stepped off the porch. Her car was between them so he didn't see her till they were close together, and when he did he wished that that porch swing was underneath so that he could collapse into it. Chloe's dress was a pink strapless wrap. The gold designs on it looked slightly oriental. Her hair was done up and she had smile that could light up the world.  
  
She was, in a word, stunning.  
  
Chloe on the other hand was feeling very self conscious. She was perfectly happy with her looks and her clothes, but she was not so sure about how everyone else saw them. Normally she didn't really care; this situation however was not normal. This was Clark, and she did worry, or a least care a whole lot. His tux brought out his broad shoulders and his height was always an advantage. Those eyes of his could make her heart do somersaults. She almost preferred his hair in its normal mode of just this shy of mussed instead of gelled into place. She wasn't going to complain though, not hardly.  
  
"Well what do you think?" she said as she spun to give him the full view. She stopped her spin and looked at him. His grin was somewhat silly. "Clark?"  
  
"Wow; Chloe," said as he found his voice. "You look great."  
  
"Thank you," she said smiling at him. "You clean up very nicely too."  
  
He smiled at her as he pulled the corsage from its plastic container and slipped it on her wrist. She smiled back as she pinned the white flower on his left breast. Then they both blinked as Mrs. Kent snapped her first picture.  
  
"Mom," said Clark, sounding somewhere between embarrassed and annoyed. Chloe laughed.  
  
"Smile, Clark," said Chloe as she put her arm around him and he draped his arm over her shoulders.  
  
"Perfect," said Martha as she snapped several more pictures of the couple.  
  
"Can we go now?" asked Clark.  
  
"Have fun honey," said Martha with a smile. "Bye Chloe."  
  
"Bye Mrs. Kent," she replied as she and Clark walked toward Lex's black limo.  
  
"One more surprise," said Clark with a nervous grin as they stopped by the door.  
  
"Surprise?" said Chloe looking at Clark, her natural reporter instinct was to be suspicious. The look on Clark's face made her wonder if she was going to need a tissue or something.  
  
"Yeah," said Clark, opening the door to the limo.  
  
Chloe Sullivan had never considered herself much of a romantic. She had also never considered that to be bad thing. Looking into the limo she found herself wondering if she was wrong. On the seat of the limo was a dozen roses long stemmed roses. There were six pink ones around the outside, then four white ones that protected two red ones.  
  
Clark reached into the car and pulled out the flowers. "I wasn't sure if you liked roses or not…" Clark trailed off as Chloe continued to stare at him and the flowers.  
  
Chloe suddenly realized that Clark was actually taking her silence as a rejection of the flowers. Typical Clark she thought. "Clark, they're beautiful. Thank you." She reached up pulled him down to kiss his cheek. "Now let's go," she said with a grin at his blush. "There is a big difference between fashionably late and very late."  
  
Clark laughed as he bowed to let her in the limo first before climbing in after her.  
  
  
  
…..Smallville High…..  
  
…Some 20 minutes later…..  
  
  
  
Clark could tell that his father was right about the weather as soon as he and Chloe left the limo. The wind had picked up considerably and was whipping through the trees along the road. There were some raindrops mixed in with it and while it wasn't raining yet, Clark could smell the storm coming. He and Chloe hurried in out of the weather, stopping once they got partway down the hall to shake and put themselves back in order. Chloe laughed as she watched Pete and his date come in, looking somewhat the worse for wear.  
  
"What happened Pete?" asked Clark, as a collection of formally dressed students flowed by towards the gym.  
  
"It's raining something fierce over by my house," replied Pete. "We got caught in little bit of it."  
  
Pete's date laughed. "A little? We got a second shower." she said with a grin.  
  
"Well at least this one was together," said mischievous voice from direction of the doors.  
  
All four of them turned to see Steve and Lana walking down the hallway arm in arm, Lana in the process of laughing and punching her date in the shoulder. Lana was dressed in a long off the shoulder dress of deep blue, her long brown hair was down. Steve had gone with black tie as well, making Pete the only man in red.  
  
"Pete, Erica you'll have to forgive my escort," said Lana giving Steve a mock glare. "I haven't had time to rub off his rough edges yet."  
  
"Good luck trying," said Chloe, she was still half afraid that Clark would see Lana in a formal dress and go mooning off after her. So Chloe was surprised when Clark slipped his arm around her so that she could either lean against him or push away. She immediately chose the former. "Steve's a hard nut to crack."  
  
"Can't argue with that," agreed Clark, giving Chloe an almost imperceptible squeeze. He knew she was worried about his feelings for Lana. That they failed to appear had stopped surprising him. He would always care for her, but the crush was gone, his feelings leaned in one direction now and he was happy with them. "I'm not even sure you have the patience, Lana."  
  
"Well I taught him to dance," she responded coming to his defense. "So he can't be too tough."  
  
"Thanks everyone," Steve muttered but he was smiling. "So shall we move into dance or stand in the hallway all evening?"  
  
"Just one second," said Pete as he pulled out a camera. "I need pictures of this motley group."  
  
"Here," said Steve as Chloe tried to take the camera. "All the friends together."  
  
"You too Lana," said Chloe, surprising herself. Clark must have been a little surprised too but he squeezed her hand.  
  
Lana smiled and joined the group. She stood on one side of Clark, her arm around Pete from the other side. Clark put an arm around Chloe on one side as Lana stood next to him. Erica slipped her arm around Pete and draped herself over him with a bright smile, Pete's grin was rakish.  
  
"Say Cheese!" said Steve as he focused and snapped the portrait. "Got it in one, now let go of my date Pete." Steve grinned.  
  
"Feeling left out?" said Lana smiling as she walked over to Steve. "Nahh someone had to take the shot. I'll be in the next one."  
  
"Well I hear the music," said Pete as he and Erica made for the gym arm in arm. "Let's rock this place."  
  
"Gotta agree with Pete on that one," said Steve. "They can't be having any fun without us. My lady." He said with a formal bow and flourish. Lana laughed and accepted his hand.  
  
"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" asked Clark as he and Chloe turned to follow them.  
  
"I think so," she said with a smile as she slipped her arm through his. "But frequent reminders are always appreciated."  
  
  
  
……..Smallville High Gym………  
  
…..An hour or so into the dance…..  
  
  
  
"Doesn't he ever get tired?" asked Steve.  
  
"Pete?" laughed Clark. "I doubt it."  
  
"Well here's to him then," said Steve raising his cup of punch. "I could never keep up."  
  
"Me neither," agreed Clark. "So Lana really did teach you how to dance."  
  
"She tried," said Steve with a grin. "I'm not sure how well she succeeded."  
  
"You have though."  
  
"Have what?  
  
"Succeeded in making her smile," said Clark as he nodded where Chloe and Lana and group of girls were talking and laughing.  
  
"It's only skin deep," sighed Steve. "She's trying to bring herself out of it, but I doubt she'll be totally back to herself for a while."  
  
"Still you're effort is appreciated," said Clark. "By me and I am sure she does as well."  
  
"I hope so," said Steve. "I don't want to think her I am doing this for my benefit."  
  
"I doubt that is…" Clark trailed off as the music changed. "Finally," he said with a certain amount of exasperation.  
  
"What?" said Steve as Pete practically skidded to halt in front of them.  
  
"Clark," said Pete throwing a knowing look in Chloe's direction.  
  
"I know," said Clark smiling. "That's why I requested it."  
  
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" said Pete with a laugh as Clark made his way over to Chloe and offered her his hand.  
  
"I missed it," admitted Steve.  
  
"Chloe's favorite song," said Pete.  
  
"He's learning," agreed Steve. "Well I think I've been on the sidelines too long myself."  
  
"Too slow," said Pete as he headed for the punch bowl. He never made it, Erica intercepted him halfway to there and dragged him back out onto the dance floor.  
  
Steve shook his head as he weaved his way over to Lana. "What do ya say Ms. Lang Shall we see if your lessons have taught me anything?"  
  
"Don't mind if I do," she said, grinning back at him as she took his offered his arm and they walked out onto the dance floor.  
  
Clark led Chloe out onto the dance floor as the song began in earnest.  
  
"So are you enjoying the night so far?"  
  
"Yeah," said Chloe. "It's been a good one."  
  
They said no more as he held her close and she put her head on his chest and they danced to the music. Clark barely heard the music; all he could think about was the girl in his arms. She'd been his friend since eighth grade, a perky blonde with so much enthusiasm and energy that he sometimes wondered how he kept up, super-powers or not. His mind drifted back to the events of the past year; fire-breathing coaches, telekinetic artist, and there was Chloe hot on the trail. She never let up and Clark wished he hadn't taken so long to see what she meant to him  
  
Chloe rested her head on Clark's chest and sighed. A dream she thought. It could only be a dream. Clark is here, he hasn't vanished, and there aren't any meteor freaks in site. He's holding me and not Lana, and suddenly she wondered why.  
  
Chloe pulled her head off of Clark's chest and looked up into his deep blue eyes, as he stared back she felt herself getting lost in their depths. His head began to toward hers, their eyes locked and their lips moving closer. Clark's hand rose from her back and cupped her cheek just as their lips made contact.  
  
And for a moment there was nothing else. No dance floor, no music, just them. Chloe reached up and put her hand behind his head as his thumb continued to caress her cheek. Eventually they parted, and Chloe opened her eyes to see Clark's sparkling back at her. His smile was sincere and a contained just a shade of uncertainty, which Chloe dispelled with a smile before putting her head back on Clark's chest and continuing a dance that she wished could never end.  
  
The song did end, however. When it was over Chloe looked up and was almost surprised to see Clark.  
  
"Yeah," he said softly with smile as he led her off the dance floor "Still here."  
  
Chloe blushed. "Was it that obvious?"  
  
"Only to me," he assured her.  
  
"I don't suppose this means we're official?" she said with her last shreds of uncertainty.  
  
Clark raised an eyebrow. "I was kind-of hoping we were," Clark said. "But if you'd pref…"  
  
"Nope; official is perfect," she interrupted firmly taking his hand again. "Just perfect."  
  
"Uh oh," said Clark as they reached the edge of the dance floor.  
  
Chloe looked where's Clark's eyes were pointed and saw Pete descending on them like an avalanche, his grin from ear to ear.  
  
"Well," he said. "If only I'd had my camera handy for THAT Kodak moment."  
  
Clark blushed and Chloe swung, but Pete had been careful to keep his distance and she missed. Mainly because she hadn't let go of Clark's hand yet. "Pete," she said warningly.  
  
"All right; all right," he said, still grinning. "For now I will be silent. For now."  
  
Clark sighed and then laughed, Chloe joined in. She stopped suddenly and looked around. "Clark, where are Steve and Lana?"  
  
Lana was running, with Steve in hot pursuit. He caught her just as they reached the last turn before the main entrance of the school.  
  
"Lana," said Steve as he stepped in front of her to stop her momentum. "Come on talk to me." She didn't answer but tried to go around him. He kept in front of her.  
  
Steve had heard her sob right in the middle of the song. Steve had seen the beginnings of the kiss and smiled at it before turning his head away. It must have still been happening when they turned so that she faced them. Her reaction had been swift and she had been most of the way off the dance floor before Steve could get started. He was worried about her and unsure exactly what, if anything he could or should do.  
  
"Talk to me hon," said Steve, keeping his voice soft and his body in front of her. "Please."  
  
Finally the dam broke and she cried. Spilling her tears onto his shirt as he held her. After several minutes her sobbing seemed to subside and she raised her head to look at him.  
  
"Wanna talk about it?"  
  
"Do I have a choice?"  
  
"Yes," replied Steve. "I'm not gonna hold you here at gunpoint or tie you up. But I do want to help."  
  
Lana sighed, it was almost another sob. "It was just watching Clark and Chloe kiss. Brought it all home I guess," she said as she sat down on the nearby staircase.  
  
"Whitney?"  
  
She nodded. "He's gone and for all that I know he cares; he's still gone and I'm alone."  
  
"Hardly alone," said Steve quietly. "I realize it's not the same, but we're here for you too."  
  
"I know," said Lana. "But Clark has always been there when I needed him and now with Chloe.."  
  
"He'll still be there," said Steve kneeling beside her. "Those two care deeply for each other and that they have found each other is a good thing. But if you think Clark is going to abandon you or any other friend then he's not the man either of us know he is."  
  
Lana took a deep breath. "I know," she said. "But I don't want to hurt what they have just found and Clark has, or rather had feelings for me. At least I thought he did."  
  
"I have heard the rumors," said Steve. "But whether he had them before or not they're gone now. Chloe will figure that out if she hasn't already."  
  
"I think tonight will do it," Lana said smiling sadly.  
  
Steve reached out and took Lana's hand sympathetically. Lana looked into his eyes and saw only sympathy and compassion. She squeezed his hand back before she stood.  
  
"Where to now," asked Steve.  
  
"Home," said Lana. "I need to get out of these clothes and just be me by myself for a little while. I'm sorry I left you on the dance floor." She said with wan smile.  
  
"I'm tough," said Steve. "I might even forgive you."  
  
She chuckled. "Thanks, I think."  
  
"Can I walk you to your car then?"  
  
"That'd be nice," she said putting her arm through his as they walked to the door. 


	6. Part4

Note for the Readers: Ok Folks this is the last part. I have enjoyed doing this thx for all the great feedback. I am currently writing a sequel. Think of the Epilogue as the prologue for the second part. Mainly cause it deals with the future. Capes, tights, college, maybe not quite in that order though ( If anyone is interested in it being posted let me know!  
  
  
  
  
  
…….Smallville High Gym……  
  
  
  
Steve entered the Gym some fifteen minutes after walking Lana to her car. The music was playing a fast popular song and most of the teenagers were out of on the floor dancing the best ways they knew how. Clark was on the sidelines having some punch and laughing at something that Steve couldn't see. Steve joined his friend and they stood in silence for several minutes.  
  
"Lana?" said Clark, turning from Pete's antics on the dance floor with several girls, including his date.  
  
"Went home," replied Steve. "Too much public too soon, I guess. She'll be all right."  
  
"I hope so," said Clark.  
  
"She will," said Steve. "We just have to give her time. Where's Chloe?"  
  
"Right here," she said from behind them. She stepped up beside Clark and he put an arm around her. "What happened to your date?"  
  
"She needed to go," explained Steve again. "Too many couples I guess."  
  
"Oh," said Chloe, feeling a brief pang of guilt. "I guess I never thought of that."  
  
Steve shrugged. "No reason you should," he said. "She knew what she was doing. Speaking of couples you guys were melting a hole in the dance floor out there earlier." He grinned at them. Clark and Chloe both blushed slightly  
  
"Hey I think it's great," said Steve still grinning. "So does this…."  
  
PHHHHHHHH came a voice over the speakers as the band ground to a halt.  
  
"Attention everyone," said Mr. Parker, one of the dance chaperones. "Please listen. The radio has just announced that several tornados have been spotted moving toward Smallville. There are said to be possible touchdowns in Smallville itself as well as the surrounding areas sometime in the next hour or so. The high school and the downtown areas are expected targets. So for everyone's safety we are moving to the basement of the school in the next minutes so please gather your things and remain calm."  
  
"My folks," said Clark.  
  
"Clark I'll get my cell phone and we'll call them," said Chloe as she turned and walked to where she had left her bag.  
  
"Lana," said Steve suddenly. "Would she have made it home by now?"  
  
"Probably," said Clark, trying to be calm.  
  
"Clark," said Chloe as she handed him the cell phone, he took it from her and could here the static of the line.  
  
"Mom?" said Clark, trying to hear her over the noise of the student's confusion as the chaperones began herding them to he the doors. "Okay they are moving us to the basement now. I love you."  
  
"Well," said Chloe. "Are they all right?"  
  
"Caught 'em on the way to the storm cellar," said Clark with obvious relief.  
  
"Come on kids lets go," said one of the female chaperones as she stopped and herded the three teenagers to the exit.  
  
"What about Lana?" said Steve. "She said she might stop by the Talon on her way home."  
  
"Here," said Chloe, taking the phone from Clark's hand and dialing in Lana's cell number. "No answer," she said after several seconds. "It probably means she's at home with the phone in her car."  
  
"Chloe!" Pete shouted from somewhere else in the rush of students hurrying down the hallway.  
  
"Here," she replied as she took a step toward the line of people that had moved on while the trio had stopped. She felt a brush of wind and when she turned she was alone.  
  
  
  
…..Smallville High main entrance…..  
  
……Seconds Later…..  
  
  
  
Clark watched the familiar blur as the hallways whipped past him. All of sudden he put everything into stopping as a human shape appeared in the doorway in front of him.  
  
"Clark," said Steve calmly. "Going somewhere?"  
  
"Steve," said Clark. "We don't have time to talk about this."  
  
"Agreed," said Steve. "Look whatever you can do and whatever secret you are hiding is none of my business. From the stories I've heard speed isn't your only gift."  
  
Clark kept silent.  
  
"This time Clark," said Steve putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Your responsibility is here. With Chloe, and Pete and everyone else here that might need you if this place gets hit. Tonight Lana is my responsibility."  
  
"Steve," said Clark.  
  
"Besides," Steve interrupted with his ever-present grin. "I'm faster."  
  
With that, Steve was gone in a flash. Racing down the highway in the direction he had seen Lana drive off in.  
  
Clark Kent stood irresolute in the doorway. The winds were howling fiercely, and the teenager could see the trees in the distance bent almost completely double. There was debris on the wind as well. Leaves and tree limbs and cornhusks whipped along the road as Clark smelled the signs of a storm. Watching the winds howl as they blew a new friend into the distance. He couldn't believe he was still standing here and just watching while a friend could be in danger. He took a step outside just as a hand touched his arm.  
  
"Clark?" said Chloe.  
  
Clark turned to look at her. He saw the fear and confusion in her eyes. How he had gotten here so fast and what he was doing. Clark knew she thought he had a "hero" complex, and at times he wondered if she was right.  
  
"Clark, what's wrong. Where's Steve?" she asked when he didn't respond.  
  
Steve's last words rang in his mind. Your responsibility is here. With Chloe…in case this place gets hit.  
  
Clark took a deep breath and led Chloe away from the door. "He went to check on Lana."  
  
"You mean he went," she said emphasizing that last word.  
  
Clark nodded.  
  
"In a tornado," she said incredulously. "He's crazy!" she said staring at the now closed door.  
  
"Or brave or both," replied Clark. "Either way we'll have to hope she's safe." Or he's fast enough, he added silently. "Come on Chloe, we'd better get to that basement."  
  
"Yeah," she agreed as the two hurried down the hallways toward the entrance to the basement. They had gotten about halfway there when Chloe suddenly stopped.  
  
"Wait a second," she said. "Clark, how did you get to the doorway so fast? You and Steve disappeared at the same time."  
  
Clark never got the chance to respond.  
  
The tornado didn't land on top of them, it actually touched down outside in the parking lot. The car it threw the wall at the two of them was more than enough. Clark grabbed Chloe instinctively; the roar of the tornado outside had given them a second's warning. It was just barely time enough for Chloe to wonder what it was.  
  
Clark threw the two of them to the ground and made sure Chloe was firmly beneath him as the cab and body of a Ford F150 came crashing through the wall of the school. The car itself missed Clark by a bare centimeter and debris from the wall slammed into his back and sides as he used his body to shield Chloe.  
  
When the dust settled a minute or so later Clark peered through the rubble to see that Chloe's eyes were closed and blood was running down her head. For a single frightening moment he thought he hadn't been fast enough then his x-ray vision kicked in and he saw her heart beating. Taking a deep breath he levered himself off of her and used his strength to push enough of the truck back through the whole it had made for him to stand. Reaching over he picked up Chloe carefully in his arms and carried her too the school's basement.  
  
  
  
….Kent Farm….  
  
….Storm Cellar…  
  
Jonathon and Martha Kent sat in their storm cellar and listened to the wind howl outside. It had been a relief to hear from Clark, and the two of them were no more nervous than they would be in any other storm. They had been sitting for somewhere close fifteen minutes when Martha's head came up.  
  
"Did you hear that?" she asked her husband. "Sounds like something's hitting the cellar door."  
  
"Probably just some debris," said Jonathon as he stood and moved a step closer to the stairway. He listened intently for a moment then stiffened before charging up the stairs and reaching for the lock on the door.  
  
"Jonathon!" Martha yelled. "What…."  
  
"Someone's out there banging on the door!" he replied as he worked to get the door open.  
  
"In the storm?" she replied rushing to his aid. She got there just as he got the door open. She gasped at the figure lying by the door. "Lana!" Martha quickly grabbed the unconscious teen while the wind howled and roared as it tried to pull the door off its hinges.  
  
Jonathan Kent struggled to control the door until Martha was inside.  
  
"Close it!" she yelled as she laid Lana on the floor of the cellar. Hearing her husband yell she rushed back up the stairs and the two managed to get the door closed and locked again. As soon as it was shut Jonathon collapsed onto the stairs, breathing heavily.  
  
"I'm fine," he panted as Martha tried to fuss over him. "Was that Lana?"  
  
"Yes," replied Martha, making her way to the motionless young woman. Lana's dress was torn in several places and she had dirt and debris in her hair. Martha felt her pulse. "Strong heartbeat." she reported to her husband as he walked over.  
  
"Those cuts look superficial," Jonathon observed.  
  
"Get me one of those blankets," ordered Martha. "And then cover that." She pointed at Clark's ship, which was stashed in a back corner of the cellar, most of it covered with hay and old boxes.  
  
"Right," he said throwing a blanket to his wife and throwing a tarp over the mound that was the spaceship. He also grabbed the lantern they had hung there and moved it to the front of the cellar, casting the back half into near darkness. "There."  
  
Martha smiled at him as Lana began to moan and her eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Lana," said Martha softly. "Are you all right?"  
  
Lana's eyes focused slowly on Martha's worried face. "Mrs. Kent? What happened?"  
  
"You were outside our storm cellar honey," said Martha. "But you're safe now."  
  
"Do you remember anything?" asked Jonathon.  
  
"It's a blur," said Lana as she sat up slowly. "My truck got rolled and thrown into a ditch, then…" she trailed off.  
  
"Then?" said Martha quietly.  
  
Lana looked at Mrs. Kent. "I don't know," she said in a strange voice, "It all happened so fast."  
  
  
  
  
  
……The Next Evening Early Twilight…..  
  
……….The Fortress of Solitude……….  
  
  
  
Clark stared moodily out of his loft's window. The evening previous had been a busy one. Smallville had not received much more damage than Clark witnessed. His parents were safe and back in his home by the time he and Chloe got out of the basement and called the limo to pick them up. Finding his parents nursing Lana had been something of a shock. She was home now, resting. The doctors said she had some bumps, bruises, and a little shock, otherwise she was fine. What they couldn't understand was how she got to the Kent farm in the first place. Her truck had been found rolled on it side halfway between Talon and her home. No one could figure out how she had gotten from there to the Kent's cellar. Lana herself claimed to not remember anything clearly after the accident.  
  
Clark knew, but he was not at liberty to say. So was Chloe, but she too was keeping silent. Not that it would seem to make any difference. Steve had vanished along with the tornados.  
  
Clark sighed. Chloe had still not asked him again how he managed to keep up with Steve after they had left her in the hallway, nor how they had escaped  
  
from that truck. She was obviously thinking something though. When Clark had gone to see her today she had been happy to see him, but the looks she gave him bordered on suspicious. Clark turned as he heard footsteps, he face registering shock.  
  
"Steve!"  
  
"In the flesh," said Steve, his voice sounding tired. "More or less."  
  
"Where have you been?" Clark asked. "When you weren't here with Lana I thought that…."  
  
"Nope," said Steve as he sank into Clark's couch painfully; he hurt everywhere. "Still here, not by much though. What did I miss?"  
  
"Lana's all right," said Clark leaning against the loft windowsill. "So is everyone else. Chloe and I almost got clobbered by a truck and part of a wall after you left but…"  
  
"You were there," finished Steve, smiling grimly. "Well that's something."  
  
"Yeah," said Clark suddenly uncomfortable. "But now she suspects… something."  
  
Steve snorted. "I'm surprised it's taken her this long,"  
  
"What do you know?" asked Clark, staring intensely at his friend.  
  
"Only what I've seen," said Steve. "You raced me to the school entrance last night. Also when that Thomas guy through Chloe in front of that bus, for an instant you moved like me. Before whatever stopped you stopped you. Then later when Thomas had you by the throat and I threw him off you I saw your skin rippling. Then of course there are all the times you happen to be in the right place at the right time to help people. What happened, the meteors?"  
  
"Sort-of," said Clark.  
  
"Doesn't matter," sighed Steve as he stood slowly. "Like I said yesterday it's none of my business. But if you want some advice, I'd tell her before she figures it out."  
  
Clark stared at him.  
  
"She's special Clark," said Steve. "You know that. You feel it: if she figures it out herself or finds out the hard way it'll hurt both of you more than the secret is worth."  
  
"I know," Clark sighed, agreeing. "I just have to work it all through first. And then find a way to get my folks to accept it."  
  
"I think they will," said Steve. "Eventually. Anyways my other reason for coming was to say goodbye."  
  
"Goodbye?" said Clark, startled.  
  
"I'll be gone by the end of the week," said Steve. "I got accepted to a private school in Central City. I'd applied before my folks died, but didn't really think I'd get in."  
  
"So you're leaving," said Clark.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You'll write I hope," said Lana from the stairs.  
  
"Lana!" said Clark, surprised. "How long have you been there?"  
  
"Just long enough to hear he was leaving," said Lana, surprised by Clark's look of relief. "So you will write?"  
  
"Or email," said Steve with a smile. "Whichever is better."  
  
"Email," advised Clark, Lana looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I've seen his handwriting. I'm surprised he can read it."  
  
"That bad?" she asked.  
  
"Chick scratch is easier to read," said Chloe, coming up behind Lana. "But why are we standing here talking about Steve's handwriting?"  
  
"Because I'm leaving," said Steve, smiling slightly at Chloe's startled look. "Got accepted to a private school in Central City. So I'm off to the big city."  
  
"Well we'll miss you," said Chloe as she walked over and hugged Steve before going to stand by Clark, her hand finding his and grasping it tightly. Clark smiled involuntarily at the contact.  
  
"That we will," agreed Lana as she sat down on the couch and Steve joined her. "Now what about a going away party?"  
  
"Now that is a great idea," said Steve grinning at her.  
  
  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
  
  
……Smallville High……..  
  
……Graduation 3 yrs later…….  
  
  
  
The yells were joyful as the graduating seniors flung their hats at the sky, the sun shinning over the Outdoor Smallville High graduation ceremony. Some students attempted to catch their hats, some were too busy, especially a short blond and her much taller brown haired companion.  
  
"Guys get a room!" yelled Pete as he grabbed his friends by the shoulders as they separated.  
  
"One of these days," Chloe grinned as she winked at Clark, and he blushed. She smiled, after three years together he still blushed. Pete walked away laughing after hugging Chloe and shaking Clark's hand.  
  
"We're still celebrating tonight, right?" asked Chloe as the couple walked hand in hand toward where their folks were waiting.  
  
"Mom's making more food than I have ever seen in my life," said Clark. "Your Dad's coming?"  
  
"It took some convincing," said Chloe. "But I finally got him to come. Looks like Lana beat us here," she noted.  
  
Clark looked up and saw Lana standing beside Nell, Gabe, and Clark's parents. She should have looked happy. Instead she looked disappointed. In the years since the Spring Formal tornado Lana and Steve had kept in touch quite a bit more than either of them had anticipated when he left. Steve had even managed a few trips down for spring breaks to visit. He had promised to try and come to the graduation, but it looked as though he hadn't been able too. Clark knew Lana had been looking forward to seeing him and he wanted to say something to her, but he never got the chance. As soon as his mother caught site of Clark and Chloe she practically tackled him. Chloe made way so she wouldn't be trampled.  
  
"Congratulations honey," said Gabe Sullivan as he hugged his daughter briefly. They had never been close but they still loved each other.  
  
"Thanks Dad." She smiled at him.  
  
"Well I guess I'll offer you mine as well," said Johnathon when Martha showed no signs of releasing their son.  
  
"Thanks Mr. Kent," said Chloe. "Are you sure there is nothing we can bring tonight?"  
  
"No," laughed Clark's father. "I don't think anything else could fit in the house. Now if you'll excuse me I'll go rescue Clark from my wife."  
  
"Lana," said Chloe when Gabe and Nell moved off to talk to other parents. "You all right?"  
  
"Yeah Chloe," said Lana, her voice resigned. "I just thought he'd be here."  
  
Chloe put her hand on Lana's shoulder in sympathy, and Lana smiled at her in gratitude when a familiar voice interrupted them.  
  
"Actually I am here. I was just trying to make it a surprise."  
  
"Steve!" Lana said as she spun from Chloe and ran to him. Throwing her arms about his neck and hugging him as hard as she could, her blue cap lost in the rush "You made it!"  
  
"That I did," said Steve smiling at her when she released him, as he reached down to pick up her cap. "I missed the opening but I did hear your speech."  
  
"You did?" she said as she accepted her cap back from him and set it firmly on her head.  
  
"Yupp," he nodded. "I wouldn't have missed it."  
  
"Well it wasn't actually my speech," admitted Lana. "Chloe wrote most of it."  
  
"Lana!" said Chloe, embarrassed. "I did not. I just helped you phrase it a little."  
  
"I'm sure," said Steve. "How've you been Chlo?"  
  
"Well enough," she smiled at him. Three years had caused many changes in their young friend. He wasn't near as tall as Clark but he had still gained a little height, and his clothes had gone from jeans and t- shirts to slacks and collars. "It's been a while."  
  
"Too long," said Clark from behind them. Steve turned and shook Clark's hand firmly. "When did you get here?"  
  
"Soon enough to see the speech," grinned Steve. "Or she'd have hunted me down." He said pointing to Lana, who gave him a playful shove, her smile bright and constant now. Lana had given one of the speeches at the ceremony and had been terribly nervous about it.  
  
"Steve, Mom says we have room for one more at the table tonight," said Clark. "You interested?"  
  
"For your Mom's cooking? Of course," said Steve. "Unless Lana has other plans?"  
  
"Nope I already have my seat reserved," she grinned as she slipped an arm through his. "I don't suppose you need a ride?"  
  
"Actually I do," said Steve smiling. "Took a taxi from Metropolis so I am without a vehicle."  
  
"Then let's go talk to Nell," said Lana already dragging him in that direction. "See you guys tonight!"  
  
"Later," said Steve, laughing as he was dragged off.  
  
"Well I'm glad he made it," said Clark.  
  
"So was she," laughed Chloe. "Think they'll ever get together?"  
  
Clark shrugged. "Who knows. If they do I wish them the best. I, however, have got everything I need right here." He said putting his arm around her.  
  
She smiled at him as they walked toward his parents and her Father. "You know farm boy, I couldn't agree more." 


End file.
